It additionally comes with a hazard — because the Cincinnati Bengals came upon Sunday.

They overcame the first-quarter ejection of security Shawn Williams and three extra private foul calls through the season opener to carry on for a 34-23 victory after Williams’ substitute jarred the ball unfastened and returned a fumble 83 yards for a landing with 24 seconds left at Indianapolis

“There’s plenty of stuff we are able to do higher. Too many penalties in essential conditions,” Lewis stated. “We did a pleasant job with that each one summer time and now, as we speak, it cropped in there, so it actually may have damage us.”

Williams was tossed within the first quarter after helmet-to-helmet contact with Colts QB Andrew Luck — changing into the primary participant to be ejected this season.

The NFL has despatched a transparent message to gamers in every single place that it intends to remove harmful hits.

And for some time, it appeared as if the Bengals would pay a steep value with eight penalties, three of which led to first downs.

Someway, they managed to regain their composure, prevented any defensive penalties within the fourth quarter and overcome the lack of Williams to snap an eight-game dropping streak at Indy.

Oddly sufficient, Clayton Fejedelem, Williams’ substitute, wound up saving the sport after Professional Bowl tight finish Jack Doyle appeared to transform a third-and-15 into a primary down by contorting his physique across the Bengals 15-yard line.

As an alternative, Fejedelem, the second defender on the play, delivered a textbook lesson by knocking the ball out, shortly scooping it up and sprinting down the sideline for the clinching rating.

“You do not get time to hiccup or flinch,” Lewis stated. “You have simply obtained to maintain taking part in.”

The Colts discovered that lesson the laborious manner, too.

After taking a 23-10 lead halfway via the third quarter, it appeared the Colts may lastly finish the second-half troubles from final season. This time, they unraveled once more.

A.J. Inexperienced break up Indy’s two deep safeties — Clayton Geathers and Malik Hooker — for a 38-yard TD catch and after Adam Vinatieri’s uncommon miss on a 55-yard discipline aim, the Bengals capitalized by driving for Joe Mixon’s leaping 1-yard rating to take the lead. Indy was known as for 3 defensive penalties on the second collection, together with an inexplicable cross interference name on Geathers on third-and-15.

“I assumed we performed good, simply penalties in the long run killed us,” Colts defensive finish Margus Hunt stated after recording two sacks in opposition to his former crew. “We simply have to hold taking part in soccer.”

SECOND CHANCE

Doyle has been one of many Colts’ most dependable gamers over the previous few seasons.

So the fumble was out of character and teammates shortly got here to his protection, beginning with Luck.

“Jack cares about this sport as a lot as any man I’ve ever performed round,” he stated. “He is an unbelievable individual, an unbelievable teammates and he is an important good friend. So that you give him a giant hug. He’ll be all proper. He’ll be high-quality.”

NEW OFFENSES

The Bengals and Colts have new offensive coordinators and revamped offensive traces, and each confirmed promise after gradual begins.

Andy Dalton and Luck had been every picked off on their first passes of the afternoon earlier than settling down and delivering extra typical performances.

Luck was 39 of 53 with 319 yards and two touchdowns in his first common season begin since having shoulder surgical procedure in January 2017. Dalton was 21 of 28 with 243 yards and two scores.